The Boys are Back in Town
by You're out of your vulcan mind
Summary: Dean loved it when they went to Bobby's place. The junkyard was full of cool things to explore and Bobby would let him get away with things that his dad would never allow. But there's a new boy staying with Bobby now, and Dean doesn't like it one bit. AU, human Castiel, Weechesters.
1. Chapter 1

Dean loved it when they went to Bobby's place. The junkyard was full of cool things to explore and Bobby would let him get away with things that his dad would never allow. The old house felt like home for him, and he knew that Sam felt that way about the place too.

Sam was bouncing in the back seat, eager to get out of the car and run around, Dean knew he shouldn't have let Sam have a coke for lunch, it was too much sugar for the little guy.

He snuck a glance at his dad who looked grim, the case he was working on was really ugly, which is why they were being dropped off at Bobby's for the week. Dean would worry about his dad, but he already knew that his dad was the best hunter and would be more than able to handle the monster.

Finally they pulled into the old lot and Dean pressed his nose to the window to be better able to see if there were any cool new vehicles in the yard. He was surprised to see a young boy sitting on the porch watching them drive up. He felt a surprise flare of jealousy. He knew that they were not the only hunters that would go to Bobby's for research or leads on jobs or for a place to lay low, but he'd developed the feeling that Bobby was sort of theirs, his and Sam's. Far as he knew they were the only kids that Bobby would let into the house. They were certainly the only ones allowed to call him Uncle Bobby, thanks to Sam's insistence at using the title.

So who was this kid.

Dean watched closely as the kid stood and started to move towards them as soon dad parked the car. He walked weird, sort of like he was just sort of floating along, and he didn't seem to blink much, just staring at them with some of the bluest eyes that Dean had ever seen. He couldn't have been much more older than Sammy, skinny and short, wearing clothes that seemed to dwarf him.

"Hello." The kid said to dad as he got out of the car, Dean and Sam hurried to follow. "I'm afraid Mr. Singer is out at the moment, he had to go tow a car, but I knew you were coming, I can help you bring anything inside. Mr. Singer sends his regards."

"Now I know that ain't true." John replied.

The kid ducked his head shyly. "No, but I'm not supposed to know the words he used when he heard you, John Winchester, were coming."

John chuckled dryly, Dean frowned stupid kid got his dad to laugh as much as he ever did within minutes of meeting him. "That sounds about right. Who are you? What are you doing here?"

"My name is Castiel. I am Mr. Singer's … son."

John narrowed his eyes and was about to ask for more clarification when the rattling sound of Bobby's tow truck shattered the quiet as he pulled into the yard. Everyone but Dean's focus turns to the gruff man as he climbs out of the cab, sound of his general grumbling carrying over to the small group.

Dean was glaring at the stupid kid now. Son? Bobby didn't have any kids. What did he mean son?

"Cas. Get over here and take these bags into the kitchen." Bobby called out. Castiel hurried off to obey. Bobby approached the Winchesters, glaring at John but almost smiling softly at the two boys

"Son?" John asked, eyebrow raised in disbelief.

"Yeah.: Bobby responded, tilting his chin up challengingly. "And how long are you leaving yours here for again?"

John smiled wryly, he knew that Bobby was trying to change the subject. "Since when have you had a son?"

"About a month." Castiel answered, making everyone else jump. The kid had reappeared out of seemingly nowhere. "Mr. Singer adopted me."

"Inside kid." Bobby snapped. The kid frowned at him slightly and looked like he wanted to argue but turned around and headed back to the house silently.

"Why on earth would you adopt a kid Singer?"

Bobby glared at John before sighing. "A job went bad. Cas lost everyone. What was I supposed to do?"

"What we usually do in those situations, turn the kids over to child services." Dean frowned at his dad. Usually? How many times had that happened to Dad that he had turned passed on a kid to child services?

"Cas… Cas is a special case." Bobby looked reluctant to continue but under John's heavy stare he relented. "The boy is the damned most powerful telekinetic psychic I have ever encountered. It wasn't safe to put him into the system, least I know what's going on when things start flying around at night."

John looked at his boys and back at Bobby. "Is he safe?"

Bobby glared at John. "Course he's safe. Wouldn't hurt a damned fly."

John nodded, seeming to be satisfied. He turned to his boys and nodded to Dean. "Watch out for Sam."

"Yes Sir." Dean replied dutifully. His dad affectionately rubbed his hair and climbed back into the car to drive away.

Dean watched him pull out of the yard before turning back to the house. He could see that Castiel kid watching from the living room window and he narrowed his eyes. He didn't trust him one bit.


	2. Chapter 2

"Hi."

Dean nearly jumped out of his skin and whirled around. Castiel was standing way to close behind him, and how the hell had that kid learned to move so quietly anyway. "Don't sneak up on a guy like that." Again he noted the lack of distance between them. "And dude. Personal space."'

Castiel frowned and took a step back. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"You didn't scare me. Just surprised me 's all." Dean retorted quickly. Castiel gave a half smile and shrug. He seemed content to just leave it at that and stand there creepily without saying anything further. "What did you want?"

Castiel stared at him with those giant blue eyes of his and tilted his head to the side. "I just wanted to say hi."

Dean frowned. "Well, you said it."

"I did."

"Anything else?"

Castiel shook his head.

"Then scram." Dean snapped. At this Castiel looked down at his hands and fiddled with the hem of his shirt.

"I suppose…" Castiel trailed off frowning. He looked back up with those really crazy blue eyes. "I suppose I was wondering if we could hang out."

Dean looked at the kid, at the comic he was reading, and back at the kid. "Can't. I'm busy."

Castiel frowned and shifted on his feet. "Alright. I'm sorry to bother you."

Now Dean felt guilty. He hated feeling guilty. "You can sit here… I guess. And read along, if you want. But you can't talk or nothing."

Castiel sat down next to Dean. Dean scooted his chair a little to the side because Castiel sat too close. Someone was going to need to teach the kid about personal space if he didn't want to get beat up at school. Unless he wasn't going to school. Bobby had mentioned something about the kid being a freak.

"'m not a freak." Castiel mumbled.

Dean frowned. "What?"

"I'm not a freak." Castiel repeated louder this time.

Dean thought back, he was fairly certain he hadn't said anything out loud. "No one said that." Castiel glared at him and a thought suddenly hit Dean. "Wait… were you reading my thoughts?" Now Dean was the one angry. He stood up and squared off in front of the smaller kid. "You can't do that."

"I can. I didn't want to though." Castiel snapped back, standing up and pulling himself up to his full unimpressive height. "You're projecting across the bond really loudly."

"Bond? What bond?" Dean demanded.

"Our bond." Castiel frowned, loosing some of his anger and looking confused again. "The bond between us."

Dean's eyes widened. "There is no bond between us. We never met before this morning. There ain't nothing there."

"You can't feel it?" Castiel asked, there didn't seem to be any sort of anger there any more, just wonder and a sort of sadness that confused Dean in such a way that he just got more mad.

"I can't feel something that doesn't exist."

Castiel shook his head rubbing at his temples. "That isn't right. I've felt it my whole life. I've always known you, we were always bound together. We're going to be friends."

"No." Dean started backing up. "No way. You're crazy."

"Dean-" Castiel reached out to him.

Dean moved back further and faster. "I would never want to be friends with a freak like you." Dean felt a pang in his heart at the words and somehow knew instantly that the pain he felt wasn't his own. "Stop doing that!"

"I'm sorry." Castiel stammered. "I-"

"Just keep away from me." Dean snapped and ran away from the room.


	3. Chapter 3

There were two things that Castiel had always known. First that he was different. When he was smaller he couldn't understand why he was different, or even so much how he was different, but he knew that he was not the same as the rest of his family.

His mother told him that he had been blessed by angels. She always had tears in her eyes when she said that though, Castiel knew it wasn't true. His older brother would attempt to scare him by telling him stories of attempted exorcisms performed during his infancy. His older brother didn't know that their mother had in fact taken Castiel to their church multiple times before he had even turned one for exorcisms. Castiel knew because his mother still had nightmares about them and he got to watch them in full Technicolor glory every night until he turned five.

When Castiel turned five his dad gave him a box of Legos for his birthday. Castiel loved playing with the Legos, building and acting out all sorts of fantastical scenes. His parents were concerned about how many of them had to do with the apocalypse. The most important aspect of getting those Legos though was that they were how Castiel learned how to conceptualize building walls. Block by block, piece by piece, and when his mother had nightmares Castiel was able to imagine putting up a wall between them.

Since he was little Castiel could move things around with a thought. Big, small, it didn't seem to matter much the size, it took no effort at all. He had to practice in secret because he learned very quickly that making the silverware dance in the air made his mother mad. About the same time as he learned how to make Lego walls in his mind Castiel learned that if he listened carefully he could hear what his family said in their heads. Shortly after discovering this trick Castiel decided he wanted to avoid doing it ever. He did not like hearing what his family said about him in their heads.

The second thing Castiel had always known was that he was going to be best friends with Dean Winchester. His first word was Dean, though his mother would insist it was Dad. He knew Dean from dreams, watching his life from afar, and he waited for the moment that he would meet the boy with great anticipation.

A month before Castiel's ninth birthday he went into town. He'd had a dream about a strange gruff man who smelled of whiskey, car oil, and gunpowder going to the café, and he'd known that he needed to find this man.

This man was Bobby.

Bobby ignored him for the most part, until Castiel called him by his full name. After a rather tense moment in the alley behind the café where Bobby held him by knifepoint until the older man had been appeased that the boy was harmless, Bobby sent him back home insisting the boy did not want to be involved in what Bobby was doing.

By the time Castiel got back home it was too late. He'd walked into the kitchen only to feel a great evil in the house. His father was there, but it was not his father. Castiel could see it's true shape, twisted and hideous. To this day Castiel was ashamed of how he panicked. He screamed and ran, escaping the house. He'd made it three blocks before remembering that his mother and brother were defenseless against the creature that had the shape of his father, they would not be able to see it's true evil until it was too late.

Castiel did the only thing he could think of doing, he searched for Bobby, who he found holed up in the motel not too far from his house. He'd been relieved that Bobby not only believed him about the monster in his house, but that the older man did not waste time asking stupid questions, merely pausing to grab a backpack before following Castiel back to his home.

What they found Castiel knows still haunts Bobby. First they saw his dad, sprawled out in the living room in a pool of blood, empty of the creature. Upstairs they found what was left of Castiel's mother and brother. Bobby had covered Castiel's eyes when they had come across the bodies and had quickly taken him from the room, but Castiel still sees them sometimes in Bobby's dreams.

Bobby quickly made the decision that Castiel could not be left to child services. The massive mental collapse Castiel suffered after he really started to comprehend what had happened to his family that led the family car to be flung through the roof of the house might have had something to do with it. Castiel doesn't really remember much of that time.

Castiel still doesn't understand why he didn't see the fate of his family before it happened. Bobby theorized that the demon that had taken over his father had been so powerful that it had hidden itself from psychics. Castiel doesn't like that theory, because that would mean that the demon had known to hid itself from psychics, that the demon knew he was a psychic, and therefore that would mean that the demon had been after him. If the demon had been after him then it was his fault that his family was dead. Bobby tends to smack him upside the head whenever Castiel follows that dark trail of thought and tells him to "stop being an idjit and blaming yourself Cas."

Cas tries his best to listen.

Now, watching the boy he had known since he first started forming memories walk away from him, calling him a freak, Cas feels a similar wave of coldness sweep through his body to what he felt when he realized his family was really gone.

What is he supposed to do now?


	4. Chapter 4

Dean was just glad he didn't see the stupid kid again for the rest of the day.

That wasn't entirely true, he caught glimpses of the kid throughout the day, mostly of the kid leaving very quickly from whatever room Dean was entering. One of the benefits of being a psychic freak Dean supposed, being able to tell when to get the hell out of dodge.

He almost felt guilty about yelling at Castiel, and calling him a freak, but not enough to actually stop the kid from running. Most of the guilt stemmed from the fact that Bobby looked disappointed in him. Dean hated disappointing Bobby, it was worse than disappointing Dad, mostly because it happened less often. Bobby had yet to take him aside to talk about it though, Dean wondered if Castiel had talked to him.

Dean planned on cornering the kid soon so they could have a chat about how the rest of the visit would work. Namely, Dean planned to make sure that Castiel kept doing what he was doing now and that he and Sam kept as far apart as possible.

That last part ended up being kind of moot when Dean saw them sitting together at the kitchen table deep in conversation. Castiel looked up at him in panic when he had entered the room, but being stuck in the conversation with Sam was unable to escape. Dean froze when he heard what Sam said next,

"How did your family die?"

Oh god, Dean thought, Sam still didn't know about what Bobby and Dad really did. He didn't know about all the spooks and stuff, and Dean desperately wanted to keep it that way. Bobby said Castiel's family had died in a job that had gone bad, Dean could understand what that meant, but how did he stop Castiel from explaining to Sam?

Luckily it seemed he didn't have to. Castiel just stared at Sam for a bit, frowning before glancing at Dean and quickly back at Sam. "They died in a car accident."

Sam frowned at Castiel. "Bobby said it was a job that went bad."

Castiel shrugged. "Bobby works with cars. He was supposed to work on their car, but they had their accident before he could."

Sam didn't look completely appeased. "Why did Bobby adopt you then?"

Castiel smiled. "Because Bobby is a good man."

Sam shook his head. "But he said you were a…tele-telekinsomthing psychic. And really powerful. What does that mean?"

Castiel pulled a deck of cards from the pocket of his oversized hoodie. Dean snorted to himself, who carries cards with them? "It just means I can do card tricks. Try. Pick a card and remember it, when you can remember it do not show it to me but put it back in the deck." He spread them out for Sam to pick.

"But he said that's why he didn't want to turn you to child services." Sam pressed as he picked a card and examined it. Dean, who was just grateful that Castiel had the brains to not ruin Sam's childhood with the truth rolled his eyes, with this level of third degree the kid was giving Castiel Sam was destined to become some lawyer one day.

"I think that might have been because he was being facetious to your dad. Bobby doesn't like questions that make him look like a softie." Castiel took the card back from Sam and shuffled it back into the deck without looking at it. He pulled out a card from the middle. "Was your card the two of diamonds?" Sam shook his head looking unimpressed, Castiel smiled, "Good." He handed over the card, Dean could see a four of clubs.

"That's my card!" Sam cried out, now quite awed. "How did you do that?"

Castiel shrugged, took the card back and tucked the deck into his pocket. "Magicians aren't allowed to give away their secrets. If we do, we lose our magic."

"Magic isn't real." Sam noticed Dean in the doorway. "Try it on Dean."

Castiel hesitated. "I don't think Dean wants to do card tricks Sam. And I need to go make sure Bobby doesn't need help with dinner."

"You just don't think you could do a trick on Dean."

"I know for a fact that I couldn't do a trick on Dean. His skull is too thick for the magic to go through." Castiel got off the couch and started heading towards the other exit. "I really need to do my chores now."

Sam looked a little outraged. "Are you saying I have a thin skull?"

Castiel shook his head quickly, raising a placating hand. "No, no. That's a good thing. Then there is more room for your brain." He looked back at Dean and headed for the door. "I'll do more tricks with you later Sam."

Sam turned back to Dean as Castiel disappeared. "He was lying to me."

Dean, who was busy trying to decide just how insulted he was by Castiel's description of skull thickness, was surprised. "About what?"

"'bout everything." Sam fiddled with a loose thread on the seat cushion. "But I don't know why. And he seems scared of you. What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything." Dean crossed his arms defensively.

"He said that too. But he's really bad at not telling the truth. You were mean to him, weren't you?"

"No."

Sam rolled his eyes and hopped off the couch. "Since Bobby adopted him he's going to be the only friend we have all the time. You shouldn't be mean."

"Who said he's going to be a friend. Where'd you get that idea from?"

"He's going to be one of the only people we see all the time, since we keep coming back to Bobby's. If we keep moving schools, he's the only person our age we'll always know. Of course he's going to be a friend."

Dean rolled his eyes. "You're such a girl. We don't have to be friends with a kid just because we know him."

"Just don't be a jerk." Sam headed towards the exit Castiel took. "I like him."

Dean watched him go, at a sort of loss. That stupid kid won over his brother, Bobby and Dad almost immediately. What is he supposed to do now?


	5. Chapter 5

Castiel missed his family a lot, especially since his ninth birthday was coming up in three days. He still hadn't told Bobby that that was the case.

He liked living with Bobby a lot. Bobby didn't seem to be afraid of him as his family had been. Bobby never questioned his abilities, if Cas told him that something was going to happen, Bobby believed him, and didn't question how he knew or freaked out.

Bobby had been also very quick to accept that he couldn't keep secrets from Cas. He knew that Bobby would try to keep things from him, things that Bobby thought would scare or disturb Cas. Cas appreciated the gesture, even if it was futile really. The problem was that once someone wanted to hide something they thought very hard about how to hide it. For Castiel, who had to actively block the normal whispers of everyone's mind, it was the equivalent of shouting about that something as loud as you could into his ear, he couldn't help but hear it. They were working on building up Bobby's mental shields, but it was slow going. Thus far Bobby was only able to hide specific thoughts behind bursts of strong emotion. For his part Castiel tried to keep his Lego mind walls up as high as possible. Bobby instated a rule early on in their relationship. If Bobby was unable to keep secrets from Cas, Cas was not allowed to keep secrets from Bobby.

Not telling him about his birthday was not keeping secrets, Cas had guiltily reasoned, because that information was quite easily available on public records… in Ohio.

The other plus of living with Bobby was that while the man was not cuddly in the least, he was fiercely protective. Right now though that didn't feel so much like a plus. Cas knew that Bobby was going to confront him about his behavior in regards to Dean soon, but he planned to put it off as long as possible.

"CAS!" Clearly though Bobby had other ideas. "I ain't gonna chase you 'round the house while you psychic your way outta the rooms. Come to the living room now."

Cas reluctantly made his way to the living room where Bobby was waiting. "Do you need help with something Bobby?"

"You know damn well what I want Cas. The boys are outside. Now, I don't need to be a psychic to know that Dean went and made you upset. You wouldn't shut up about him, now you won't even make eye contact with the boy."

"It was my fault Bobby." Cas scuffed his shoe against the rug. "I don't think it will be a problem."

"Bull." Bobby scoffed. "What happened?"

Cas sighed. He could feel tears welling up again, and he hated that he couldn't stop crying about the incident, that Dean hated him felt so wrong. "I- I think I just came on too… strong." Bobby raised an eyebrow but motioned for him to continue. "I didn't know he didn't know about the bond. Our bond. I've…I've felt it all my life, and I though he had too… I don't understand how he can't-" Cas froze, it felt like ice water had been poured down his back and he gasped as he saw a flash of the immediate future.

"What is it?" Bobby had gotten used to the look Cas got when he had a vision. "Cas, what do you see?"

'John Winchester is coming… and he is very angry."

Xxxx

John roared into the car yard, causing gravel to fly as he pulled to a stop and jumped out of the car. Bobby stood on the porch, calmly waiting for him. "Where's the boy?" John demanded.

"You ain't going no where near him till you calm down."

John didn't slow from his march to the house. "Why didn't you tell me you found the demon?"

Bobby moved to block him from the door. "Because I didn't know it was him. By the time I knew, he was long gone and I had Cas to worry about."

John's gaze drifted behind Bobby. "You. Come here."

Bobby spun around to see Cas standing there, seeming frozen with fear. "Cas! Go back inside."

John's arm shot out and he grabbed hold of Cas and hoisted him up. "C'mere. Tell me about the demon that killed your family."

"Dad!" Sam shouted as he came around the house, having been attracted by the noise. He looked shocked to see his father holding the other boy in the air.

"Dean, take Sam inside." John shouted.

Dean nodded solemnly and tried to grab his little brother. "Sammy C'mon." He tugged his brother but couldn't get him to budge.

John had shifted his attention back to Cas, and Dean could see the small boy just freeze. "Start talking." He shook the kid as incentive.

"He ain't a magic eight ball you're gonna get answers from by shaking." Everyone but Cas's attention snapped to Bobby. Dean gasped to see the shotgun Bobby had leveled at his father. "Now put him down or I'll blast you so full of rock salt you'll shit margaritas."

Castiel's eyes just rolled up and he went limp in John's grasp as he passed out. John looked at small kid with something akin to shock. Bobby dropped the gun and pulled Castiel from John's grip, quickly cradling him against his chest. 'What happened?" John asked.

"He's sensitive to emotions. Everyone freaking out around him, that sort of onslaught, what do you expect. Jesus John, he's just nine."

"I need answers Bobby."

'Well scarin' my kid unconscious ain't gonna get you any." Bobby snapped.

"He ain't even your kid."

Bobby held Cas even tighter. "You don't get to talk to him until you cool off. I'll let you know when he wants to talk to you."

"Bobby-" John started,

'Sorry." Cas mumbled as he started to stir against Bobby's chest.

"Shut it Cas." Bobby muttered, turning around and going inside.

John hesitated, looking back at his sons. "Dean, you boys okay?"

"Yes sir." Dean replied solemnly.

"Dad, what is going on?"

"Nothing Sam. Dean, keep watch over your brother." John went inside. Sam pulled out of Dean's grasp and ran after him. Dean quickly followed.

They could here Bobby's raised voice from upstairs. "You keep your butt parked right there."

The house shuddered and the doors started slamming open and shut making the three Winchesters jump. Sam grabbed hold of Dean, eyes wide with fear.

"STOP IT NOW CAS!" Bobby shouted. The doors stopped suddenly. "You stay right here." Bobby stomped downstairs, and John quickly moved to intercept him. "You stay there." Bobby blocked him. "You got him all worked up, so you get to cool off outside." John glared but didn't move. "You think I'm kidding? Your crazy is just gonna keep him upset, so you'll get nothing from him except maybe you'll get him to take my house down. Take it outside now."

With a growl John complied. Bobby looked to the two boys left in the living room. "You boys alright?"

"Bobby?" Sam looked around. "What is going on?" He still had not loosened his death grip on his brother's arm. "Was that… Cas?'

Bobby sighed, rubbing a hand across his face. "Yeah kiddo, it was."

"But, that's impossible."

"Cas is- he's special."

"Like an X-man." Dean provided so his brother could understand without necessarily having to explain the supernatural world just yet.

Sam looked at his brother incredulously, but Bobby nodded. "Sure, like an X-man."

"Is he dangerous?" Sam asked solemnly.

"No." Bobby answered quickly. "No, he just got scared. You know how your dad can get. Cas ain't used to that.'

Sam let go of dean, nodding seriously. "I should go talk to him."

"No!" Dean shouted. Like there was anyway in hell he was going to let Sammy near that freak.

"He'll be alright kiddo. Just give him some time." Bobby reassured Sam. He shot Dean a sharp look. "Should go scrounge up some lunch, Dean, help me out."

Dean nodded and tugged on Sammy's hand. "C'mon Sammy."

Sam pulled away. "I left my homework in Bobby's office. Gimme a sec."

Dean rolled his eyes, but let him go while following Bobby into the kitchen. Nerd kid.

Xxxx

"Cas?" Sam called out as he crept through the upstairs hall, not sure which was Castiel's room. "It's just-"

"Sam." Sam jumped and spun around and saw Cas poking his head out of the room from the end of the hall. The boy had clearly been crying recently. "You should go back downstairs. Dean doesn't want you here."

"I don't care what Dean wants." Sam retorted.

Cas sighed and disappeared back into his bedroom. Sam followed.

'Are you alright Cas?" Sam asked, but he knew it was a stupid question.

Cas was curled up against the headboard, hugging his knees to his chest tightly. "Yeah." He looked over at where Sam was lingering by the door. "I'm sorry I scared you."

"You didn't scare me." Cas raised an eyebrow at him. "I just got surprised." Cas didn't look convinced but he just nodded and turned away so Sam continued. "I think dad can get scarier than you anyway." Sam slowly walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. "I'm sorry."

Cas shook his head. "You didn't do anything. Neither did your dad. I just got overwhelmed is all."

Sam thought that was about as convincing as his claim that he'd just been surprised earlier. "What was Dad talking about? Demons?"

Cas sighed. "Sam, you don't want to know. Please don't ask me to tell you."

Sam didn't want to argue with him so moved to his second question "Are you like the X-men?"

Cas snorted. "No. I'm just a freak like your brother says." Sam could here his brother calling for him downstairs. "Go downstairs Sam." Cas said gently but firmly, in a tone that told Sam not to fight him.

Sam slowly made his way to the door. He froze at the threshold. "You're not a freak Cas. I can tell.''

Xxx

"Sammy?" Dean saw his brother walking down the stairs. "Where were you?"

Sam fixed him with a dark glare. "You're a jerk." He snapped as he brushed past his older brother.

"What?" Dean asked, bewildered.

"Cas is not a freak."

Dean frowned. "Were you just upstairs with him?" Sam just continued to glare. "I want you to keep away from him." Dean hissed.

"No."

"Sammy-"

"Dean." The boys attention snapped to Bobby standing in the kitchen door, looking disappointed and almost hurt. "Go fetch your dad, boy. Lunch is almost done." The look on Bobby's face promised that they would talk later about Dean's attitude.


	6. Chapter 6

Dean hesitated when he saw Castiel seated at the table but he followed his father. Cas didn't look up from the shirt hem he was picking up.

"Mr. Winchester." Cas glanced at John and quickly back down to his lap. "I wish to apologize for my behavior. I am sorry that I scared you and your sons."

John glanced up just in time to catch the full force of Bobby's stink eye. "I'm sorry too Cas. I shouldn't have… lost my temper like that."

Dean felt Sam glaring at him but refused to look up. Like hell he was going to apologize to that freak. Cas visibly flinched the second that word formed in Dean's mind. The meal was eaten in awkward silence.

XXX

Immediately after lunch, Cas gave Bobby a nod and Bobby motioned for John to follow them to his office where they locked the door.

Bobby sat down heavily in the seat next to the fireplace. Cas climbed into his lap. "You start John. Who told you the yellow eyed demon was the one who attacked Cas's family?"

"Pastor Jim told me." John sat down across from them. "What I want to know first Bobby is why you didn't."

"I told you, I didn't know at the time. I'd just been following pretty standard demon signs. It wasn't until a week after I took in Cas and he'd had nightmares that I realized it had been your demon."

"And why didn't you tell me then?" John pressed.

"He was long gone. I knew you would only freak out."

"Mr. Winchester… I can tell you about what the Demon did to my family, but I'm afraid I can't answer your other questions. The demon hides himself from me, I don't know where he is or why he does anything."

John clenched his jaw. "Have you looked?"

Cas nodded. "I can see his face when I meet him. But beyond that I cannot help you."

John rubbed his temples and Cas started fidgeting as he felt the increasing emotions in the room. Finally John seemed to come to a decision. "There are some psychics in Louisiana. They specialize in hoodoo really, but they have a spell that can focus a psychic's attention, it works best if the psychic knows well the thing they are looking for. If Cas knows the demon's face-"

"Like hell we're gonna do that John." Bobby snapped.

Cas started shaking. "I can't."

John frowned. "Castiel-"'

Bobby frowned and tucked Cas close to his chest. "Enough John."

"We can end this Bobby. End all of this now. Why wouldn't-"

"It don't matter why. If he says no, that means no."

"I have hidden from him too. If I look for him… if I find him now he'll be able to see me. He'll come after me again. He'll come here. I can't." Cas replied.

"If the demon comes here Castiel, then all the better. We could be prepared, trap him."

"You ain't using my boy as bait." Bobby snapped, standing up quickly while shifting Cas into the chair. John squared off with him.

"He ain't your boy."

John didn't see the punch coming, and so was more than a little surprised to find himself on the floor. "You want to attract a demon here with your boys in this house. Does that really seem like the intelligent thing to do? Cas is my boy John, not by birth but by circumstance. This though… this is not my grudge. You need to figure something else out, and you can do that far away from my house."

John and Bobby stood facing each other, sizing each other up, and that was when it really hit John. It didn't matter to Bobby that this boy had dropped into his life just a month ago, the kid might as well have been his own flesh and blood. It made John almost sad to think that Bobby never did have kids of his own, he clearly was a fantastic parent. It also made John realize that Bobby wasn't going to ever budge on this issue. He was going to have to find away around the other man. He relaxed and held up his hands placating. "Fine Bobby, fine."

Bobby relaxed a bit too, but he was still eying John suspiciously. "Your boys can stay here if need be, but you're going to have to leave."

John nodded. "I need to head back anyway. Pastor Jim figured out it's a werewolf doing the killings, but we hadn't quite figured out who the poor sucker is yet." He shot one more glance at Cas before backing towards the door.

xxx

Dean heard sobs and screaming. He jerked awake, but the house was silent. Something inside him told him to go upstairs, and Dean, always one to follow his gut, complied. He crept up the stairs, avoiding the fourth step that was creaky and looked around. Bobby's door was wide open and Dean could see him snoring away. Dean turned to the one closed door at the end of the hall and knew he needed to be there.

He pushed the door open and saw Cas . The kid was obviously deep in the throes of a nightmare, tossing and turning, silently whimpering. Dean was drawn to the boy's side, and before he could really register what he was doing he put a hand on Cas's shoulder. He felt a deep inner peace flow through him, like a hole he didn't know existed had been filled in his soul. Instinctively he pushed the peace at Cas and felt the boy still and quiet under his hand. Dean smiled softly.

"Dean?" Wide blue eyes were looking at him in surprise, and just like that the spell was broken. Dean snatched his hand away, and something in him cried out against it, it wanted him to put his hand back, to touch the boy, but that couldn't be him. It must be Castiel, Everything he was feeling must be from Castiel. This was some plot to make Dean acknowledge the "bond" Castiel had insisted was between them.

The surprise turned to fear. "Dean?" Castiel repeated "What are you doing here?"

"Stop it." Dean shouted. He could feel deep panging in his heart and he needed to make Castiel stop whatever he was doing to make him feel this way. "What are you doing to my head? STOP! Get OUT!"

"I'm not doing anything. I swear I'm not."

Dean's gut felt like it was being twisted and stabbed with hot knives. The pain drove him to lash out. Castiel cried out and clutched his nose.

"What in God's name!" Bobby stumbled out of his room and rushed into Castiel's, shotgun in hand. "What is going on?" He took in the sight, Castiel clutching his bleeding nose, Dean hunched over in pain

Dean pointed at Castiel. "He's doing something to my head. I was trying to make him stop." He gasped as another wave of pain hit him.

"Cas?" Bobby looked bewildered.

Castiel shook his head. "I'm not doing anything. I promise."

"He's lying! He probably messed with your head too. That's why you like him so much." Another wave even worse than before washed over him.

Castiel and Bobby looked horrified. Forget that, Bobby look pissed, and Dean had a feeling he was a second from being hit with a blast of rock salt. It would hurt less than whatever bond crap Castiel was pulling though.

Suddenly Castiel leaned over and grabbed Dean's head, forcing him to make eye contact. The pain instantly lessened at the contact, but it roiling in the background, making Dean feel nauseous. Castiel stared into his eyes. "Dean, I am not doing this to you. But I can make it stop." Castiel's stare intensified, Dean felt mesmerized. "Think about the pain, not how it feels, but try to visualize where it is coming from." Dean frowned, how did that make any sense? Castiel rolled his eyes. "Just try. Something made you come up here. Go to that place in your mind."

Dean closed his eyes and tried to visualize whatever the hell Castiel was talking about. He saw nothing. Just black, and that was because his eyes were closed.

"Just try Dean."

Inwardly rolling his eyes Dean tried hard. And like the curtain had been lifted he could see it. A being of light there in his mind. "What is it?" Dean whispered. He tried to get a closer look, but it was curled around itself, like it had been beaten and was hurt.

"Dean, focus. Imagine putting a wall around what you see."

"What is it?" Dean repeated. The poor thing looked so sad and pitiful, shivering and cowering in the dark, and Castiel wanted him to put a wall around it?

"It is what pulls you towards me Dean. It is hurt when you feel negative thoughts about me and that hurt manifests itself as a physical pain for you. The wall will stop that from happening. Pick a strong material."

Hesitantly Dean imagined a wooden box, a box appeared in his mind covering the being. The nausea disappeared. Dean felt Castiel's hands drop from his face. He opened his eyes. Castiel was a mess, the blood from his nose had at least slowed to a trickle, but it covered the front of his shirt. His eyes were red rimmed, and looked incredibly sad. Dean glanced over at Bobby. Bobby still looked absolutely livid, but torn between ripping Dean a new one and taking care of Castiel. Small feet running up the stairs caught all of their attentions, Sam appeared at the door and froze, staring at Bobby, Castiel and Dean.

"Sam. Go get a bag of frozen peas for Cas, and a warm wet dish cloth so they can clean up." Bobby said firmly.

Sam nodded and ran back down the stairs.

Dean put his head in his hands. He jerked back up when he felt something wet. He looked at his hand and saw a smidge of blood. He touched the side of his face again and realized it must have been from Castiel when he'd gripped his head. He looked at the boy again, but Castiel avoided his gaze.

"Dean. Go wash up in the bathroom. We're going to have to have a talk." Bobby finally sighed. He didn't look at Dean as he shuffled to the other side of Castiel's bed and started examining the boy's nose, and it made the bottom of Dean's stomach sink to think of how angry he'd made the man.

"Yes sir." Dean mumbled and he took off.


	7. Chapter 7

"It wasn't Dean's fault." Cas muttered while Bobby gently wiped the blood from his face. "He was in pain and didn't understand what was going on."

Bobby paused and looked hard at Cas before continuing his task. "Do you?"

"I've been doing research. After I realized the bond I had with Dean wasn't… mutual." Cas sighed. "I believe Dean is my anchor."

"And what do you think that means?" Bobby had read up on psychics when he first took Cas and had an idea about anchors already but he was curious about what Cas understood anchors to be. Now that Cas mentioned it, it made a lot of sense and explained a good part of Dean's behavior. Didn't mean Bobby wasn't going to tear the kid a new one for almost breaking his son's nose, but at least there was a good explanation for it.

"Psychics like me feel the emotions and the thoughts of people around them, especially if they don't shield. If they aren't careful they can lose themselves and go into psychic shock or just go insane or even… die. People who are anchors are soul bound to a psychic, so what they think or feel can override everyone else and tether a psychic to themselves." Cas frowned. "You know all of this already though Bobby."

"Mmhmm." Bobby nodded to encourage Cas to continue. "But I like knowing what you know."

Cas shrugged. "Psychics can't project emotions though. And what Dean has been feeling doesn't match with what I was feeling anyway. I didn't realize the bond could hurt him." He fiddled with the blankets.

Bobby huffed. "It's the soul-mate aspect of your bond Cas. If you're right that Dean is your anchor, then what you two share is a very profound bond. One that won't tolerate either of you hurting the other."

"How do we break it?" Cas asked, his face grave and serious.

Bobby was surprised. "Why would you want to?"

Cas looked back down. "Dean doesn't want to be bound to me. It'll just hurt him more as he continues to fight it."

"As far as I know, you can't. It's kind of a lifetime commitment." Bobby was satisfied with the cleaning job and started picking up the first aid kit. He handed Cas the frozen peas.

Cas frowned. "There should be something. It isn't fair, he didn't even get a choice in this."

"You didn't either Cas."

"But I've always known about our bond. It's different."

"Not that different Cas. If there is a way to break the bond, it is going to be dangerous and painful for the both of you, and you would be in danger for the rest of your life for not being tethered." Bobby looked the boy up and down. They may have been just having a rather adult conversation, but the kid never looked more like his nine years as that moment, hunched on bed and seven kinds of pitiful. "I'll go have a chat with him. Sam's hiding in the hall so I 'spect he wants to keep you company if you're up for it."

Sam shuffled into view. "How did you know?"

"You breathe too loud boy." Bobby smiled softly over his shoulder at Sam just in time to catch Sam's slight indignation.

"You can come in Sam." Cas said softly. Bobby gently ruffled his hair and headed downstairs to deal with the final child in his house.

Xxxx

Dean dried his hair with an old towel; he'd had to stick his entire head under the faucet to get rid of all of Castiel's blood. He heard the creak of the stairs as Bobby came downstairs. Dean had a brief moment of fantasizing running fast and far away to avoid what was coming, but shook away the thought and straightened up ready to face what he figured would be his doom like a man.

"You all cleaned up son?"

"Yes sir."

"Alright, let's go to my office."

Dean hesitantly followed. "Bobby, I'm really sorry."

"I know kid. But we need to talk."

Dean hung his head but continued to follow. He took a seat when Bobby waved him towards it. He watched warily as Bobby dug around the bookshelf before selecting a couple of books.

"Alright kiddo. Did your daddy teach you anything about psychics?"

Dean shook his head.

"Great." Bobby sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "'course he didn't."

"What about psychics? What is Cas doing to me?"

"Cas ain't doing anything to you Dean, it's all coming from you." Bobby sat down heavily across from the boy. "You two are, well we're pretty damn sure you two are… soul-mates."

"What?" Dean knew what soul mates were, he'd seen the movies. They were a boy and a girl who stared obsessively into each others eyes and kissed and other icky stuff like that while the background music got all sappy. "EW."

Bobby rolled his eyes. "What do you mean ew?"

"Soul-mates kiss and stuff. I don't wanna do that with a boy."

"Oh for f-" Bobby ran a hand across his face. "Not a- idjit. A psychic soul-mate. This ain't some chick flick. Cas… he's always at risk of loosing himself, because he can feel everything we do. Its fine for him around one or two people, but in a crowd he needs some one to help him remember just who he is. Powerful as he is I shoulda been looking for who he was tied to…" Bobby trailed off frowning at his oversight. He came back to himself and looked at Dean seriously. "If you're his soul-mate, you act as an anchor." Bobby made a face at himself. "It makes sense, he says he's been aware of you since birth, he keeps saying you have a bond."

Dean sighed, bringing the older man's attention back to him. "He said that before, and you didn't think we were soul-mates then."

"Sometimes psychics can be very aware of certain people who will affect their lives deeply. It helps if the person is in contact with the supernatural, magic and such. Your dad is a hunter, I figured since you didn't seem to be all that aware of Cas beyond average hunter's paranoia, that that was what was going on." Bobby looked at the book in his hands, "but you are aware of Cas."

"He's doing things to my head. Any time I try to make him stop he hurts me." Dean argued.

Bobby rolled his eyes again, this boy clearly inherited his father's skull thickness. "That ain't him, he can't do that sort of thing. All you feel comes from you."

"But-"

"It's the bond, when you attack Cas what you're really doing is attacking the bond that's in your head. And that can manifests itself as physical pain for you. All the bond wants to do is it's job, so when you're nice to Cas, you feel better."

"Is there a way to break it?"

Bobby crossed his arms and scrutinized the boy in front of him. "Why do you want to break it?"

Dean huffed. "I don't wanna be bound to Cas. I didn't even get a choice."

"As far as I know no. This book'll have something if there is anything." Bobby held up the book he'd found. "I'll look, because Cas asked me to."

Dean felt a muted pain and knew it came from the light being he'd boxed in his mind. "Cas doesn't want to be bound to me either?"

Bobby didn't seem to notice Dean's stricken tone. "He didn't say that. He said exactly what you said. You didn't want to be bound to him. You didn't get a choice. Just remember Cas didn't get a choice to who he was bound to either."

Dean felt some relief. "Yes sir."

Bobby patted Dean on the shoulder, he knew the kid wasn't a bad kid. He'd had a tough childhood and a tougher father and that led to the kid being slow on the uptake sometimes. "I'll do the research, but no promises. In the meantime, think positive thoughts towards Cas and you won't have any problems. And you think about what I just said about Cas."

"Yes sir."

Bobby waved him off. "Go on. Go back to sleep."

Dean shrugged, he felt kinda wired now, like he'd drunk too many cans of coke at a time. "Don't know if I can." He struggled to hold back a yawn

"Kiddo, you can barely keep your eyes open." Bobby held out his arms and Dean kind of fell into the hug. "C'mon. Let's get you back to bed."


	8. Chapter 8

"Sorry." Sam muttered as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"It's not your fault." Cas smiled reassuringly. "Or Dean's either really. It'll be okay."

"He can be an ass."

Cas shrugged. "He was scared and didn't understand what is going on."

Sam frowned. "Why are you so nice?"

Cas cocked his head to the side, confused. "What do you mean?"

"Dean hit you. He came up here, hit you, screamed at you and all that, and you helped him out and say now it isn't his fault. Then Bobby says that you have a bond thing that you need to be safe and you want to find a way to break it because Dean doesn't like it."

Cas still looked confused. "I'm afraid I still don't understand. Why wouldn't I have helped him?"

"Because he hurt you."

"He was in pain himself." Cas put a hand on Sam's shoulder. "It's natural to lash out when you're in pain. I can't be upset at him for that."

Sam didn't loo pleased but he nodded and fiddled with the edges of Cas's sheets. "Cas… if you're a psychic- well, if psychics are real, what else is?"

Cas's hand dropped from his shoulder. "Uhm… I don't-"

"Are monsters real?" Sam watched Cas shift uncomfortably and look away and he understood. "Oh."

"You don't need to worry about monsters Sam." Cas said quickly. "People like Bobby and your dad… they protect us from them. That's their job."

Sam went very still and thought about his life to this point. "I've suspected for a while."

Cas put his hand back on Sam's shoulder, and the younger boy leaned into his touch. "You're not scared are you?"

Sam considered lying, but remembered that Cas was a psychic. "A little. But I'll be okay."

Cas squeezed his shoulder and that was what Sam needed to fall back into the other boy and wrap his arms around him. He didn't even pull away when the stairs creaked as Bobby came up them.

Bobby raised an eyebrow at the sight that greeted him when he came to Cas's room. "Everything alright boys?"

Cas nodded and gently pushed Sam away. "Yes Bobby. Sam is ready to go back to bed now."

"No! I'm no-" Sam was cut off by a large yawn.

Bobby smiled. "C'mon squirt. Let's get you back downstairs."

xxx

John hung up with the psychic in Louisiana. He was glad that the ingredients focusing spell didn't require anything too out there. The only hard part would be finding the boy's anchor. The psychic insisted that it was the most important element to the spell. He'd also said that it wouldn't be too difficult to find this anchor because of the boy's natural awareness of his own anchor.

The problem was John needed to do this without Bobby knowing. He could conceivably kidnap the boy, but Bobby was one of the best hunters out there. They would have a very limited time before Bobby would track them down, certainly not enough time to drive all around the country to find the other person in the world that the boy was soul mated to.

John sighed and ran a hand across his face. He needed to figure something out. This boy was going to be his best shot at finding the demon and finally getting revenge, there was no way in hell he was going to let this opportunity go.


	9. Chapter 9

Breakfast was an awkward affair. Sam refused to look at Dean. Dean couldn't make eye contact with Bobby and Cas wouldn't go downstairs. Bobby wouldn't let Sam take food up to Cas until he'd finished his own breakfast so Sam scarfed down his pancakes as fast as he could without getting sick and ran upstairs with a plate laden down with food for Castiel.

Dean wanted to stop him, but knew that wouldn't go down well with either Sammy nor Bobby, and when Bobby seemed content enough to ignore Dean for the rest of the morning while he cleaned up the dishes from breakfast, Dean decided not to press his luck and hid out in the car yard.

"Hey kid."

Dean jumped and whirled around. He'd gotten bored after a while and had been bouncing rocks off of a beat up old van for the better part of an hour and hadn't heard Bobby come up behind him. "Hey Bobby."

"Your dad called. Finished the job up this morning and he's going to be here by this afternoon to pick you and your brother up." Bobby leaned against the edge of an old clunker. "You gonna sit out here all day sulking?"

"'m not sulking." Dean frowned. "I was just thinking about stuff."

"Mhmm." Bobby hummed in sarcastic agreement. "Sure kid."

Dean sighed. "Sammy is going to be mad at me for awhile. I hate it when he gets mad at me."

"He'll get over it."

"I know. But it sucks." Dean threw another rock.

"Maybe he'll get over it quicker if you go have a talk with Cas."

"Do I have to?"

Bobby sighed. "No. It'll do you and Cas some good I suspect. But if you want to sit out here being an idjit and throwing rocks, I suppose that's you're prerogative. I'll be making lunch soon, if you wanna think about coming in."

Xx

Dean didn't end up coming in. He suspected Sam was pissed at him for that, given the glares being shot his way as Dad pulled up in the drive. He just hoped that Sam would know to keep his mouth shut about any of these other developments. He knew it wasn't right to keep things from his dad, but a gut feeling told him that he should hold off on spilling everything until he had a better idea of what all this stupid anchor business meant.

"Dean, Sam. You boys alright?" John asked as the boys climbed into the back of the car.

"Yes sir." Dean replied dutifully. He looked back at the house as the car pulled out, he could see Castiel watching them from the window. Kid looked super pale.

"Sam?" John pushed. Sam glared at Dean.

"It's fine." He grumbled

"Did something happen?"

"No sir." Dean replied quickly, hoping Sam would get the hint.

"Dean fought with Cas."

John looked sharply at the mirror back at Dean. "Why?"

"It was a misunderstanding. It's fine, we worked it out."

John shifted his gaze at his younger son, who was so full of irritation at his older brother that all the significant looks for him to shut up just served to goad him on. "Dean is Cas's anchor. And Dean didn't like that."

"But we figured it out now." Dean added quickly.

John hardly knew what to say. He couldn't believe that fate favored him in this way. "Are you sure Dean? You're his anchor?"

"Yes." Dean replied reluctantly. "But it doesn't mean anything. And we won't ever have problems again."

John nodded distractedly. "Right." He had the anchor, he just need Castiel now. He could get everything he needed to get the yellowed eyed son of a bitch that took Mary from him by tonight. He could end this, the goal was in sight, and he could scarecelly contain himself. "Right." He pulled into the turn off that took them to town. "Boys, what do you feel like for dinner tonight?"

"Dad?" Dean frowned. "We can't eat here. It'll take to long. There aren't any good stops for a long while."

John shook his head. He was still planning what he would need to do to get everything by tonight, and not be shot by Singer when he went to collect Castiel. "We're staying in town Dean. Don't question me."

Dean nodded silently. Sam frowned as he realized that something had happened that he was not aware of yet. But they both knew better than to talk back to their father now.

Xx

Cas shook in fear as he saw several different pathways unfold before his eyes. None of them were good. But only one left John and Bobby bullet free. At least for the first stage of the evening. There were a number of things that could change that later. But there was only one thing for him to do now. And he knew it was stupid, and he knew that it was going to lead to his worst fear, but he couldn't let either man be injured for him. For Dean's sake if nothing else.

"Cas. Dinner." Bobby called from downstairs.

"Coming." Cas pulled out a vial and poured out a pill. Bobby had gotten them for him when the visions would get to much and keep him from sleep. Yes, there was only one thing he could do now.

xx

It was pitch black and close to midnight by the time John was prepared to get Castiel. He'd dropped Dean and Sam off in a motel in town, and he was proud of how his boys knew to behave and not question him. He shut off his headlights as he approached to alerting Bobby too soon.

He was surprised then when he pulled into the yard and saw the young boy sitting out on the porch, huddled in an oversized tan trench coat. He parked and got out of his car cautiously, he remembered when the boy had made all the doors in the house slam around last time he'd been upset. "Why are you out here? Where's Bobby?"

Cas shrugged, he looked very unhappy with John's presence. "I saw you coming. I made sure Bobby wouldn't come out."

John smirked. "How'd you manage to do that?" and after a beat he added "And why?"

"I drugged him during dinner." Cas toed at a loose board on the porch, listening to it squeak in protest. "Because I saw that if I didn't one of you would end up shot."

John crossed his arms. "So are you going to come with me quietly?"

Cas shook his head. He huddled deeper into the coat, and John suspected it was probably something from his family that he used now as a security blanket, there was no way in hell that Bobby would have bought something like that for him. "Please don't take me. I came out here because this the only path that no one gets hurt, but please, please don't do this."

"No one gets hurt, are you protecting me as well?"

"The boys need you. You're all they have left. That's why you need to rethink this. Please."

John sighed. "Cas. You're psychic. I think you know what I'm going to say. If you know this is the only path then I think you know how this ends."

Cas shook his head. "I know you can make a right decision and a wrong decision right now. And I can make a number of different choices right now too. The future is hardly set in stone. Please think this through."

"Get in the car Cas. Let's keep people from getting hurt." Cas looked like he wanted to cry, and it made John feel so god damned guilty, but there was nothing else he could do. He had no other choice. He'd never been this close to getting this yellowed eyed bastard and he just couldn't let this chance get away. "Look, Cas, we're not going far, so if this goes well I can probably get you back here before Bobby even wakes up."

Cas shook his head sadly but walked up to the car. "You don't know what is going to happen."

"That's what you are for kiddo." When Cas was inside John quickly locked the doors and pulled out. "It'll be fine. I'll take care of you Cas. I promise, you help me and we can get this all done. Don't you want revenge Cas?"

Cas shook his head. "Revenge won't change what happened. And it won't save you."

"We'll see about that." John muttered softly. "We'll see."


	10. Chapter 10

Years of experience had Dean waking up the instant the door to the motel room opened. He had a grip on the knife under his pillow and was prepared to leap out at whoever was coming in when he heard his dad whisper. "Dean."

Relaxing he sat up, quickly checking to the next bed to make sure Sammy was still asleep. "Yes sir?"

"Come on. We need to go." Dean nodded solemnly and reached over to wake his brother. "Leave him. We won't be gone long."

Dean tensed again, his hand slipping under his pillow for the knife. "He needs someone to watch out for him." He looked over at the figure still in the doorway, could be a shifter, maybe a ghoul, but it wasn't his dad. This felt to wrong, there was no way this was his dad. First staying in a motel in Sioux Falls instead of with Bobby, then this. He should call Bobby. But he would need to get this monster out of the room first. How? "I'll meet you in the car, but I need to tell Sam where we are g-"

He abruptly stopped because he realized he could feel that familiar pressure on his mind that he had come to realize was Castiel. "Is Castiel here?"

"Yes. He's in the car. Dean, it's best if you don't wake Sam up. We need to go now though."

This was his Dad then. But something was very very wrong. He got out of bed and quickly pulled on his boots. "What's going on?"

"Kiddo, I don't got a lot of time to explain it right now, but it's important. We're so close to ending all of this buddy."

Dean nodded and followed, but he also did something he'd never thought he would do. He reached out for that little light-bond-thing that Castiel had helped him put into the box in his mind. It had gone completely quiet when they had pulled out of Bobby's place. He imagined pulling off one of the slates of the box and reaching into it. He felt the bond thing nuzzle up to his mind's projection of himself's hand, and he felt a blast of emotions come from it.

There was a deep dark fear that ran through everything, a strange sense of determination, and a sad sense of resignation. Castiel deeply believed he was going to die. Dean frowned, he got other impressions from Castiel through the bond thing, images of yellow eyes glowing in the dark, and images of his dad.

At least now he had confirmation that this was his dad, even though this didn't sit right.

This all happened before he closed the door of the room to follow his dad outside. He could see the car, and he could see Castiel sitting in the front seat. The kid was wearing some weird over-sized coat that he was huddled in like it would protect him and the red rims of his showed that he'd been crying. Dean frowned, as much as he didn't like the other boy he couldn't just let him sit there cry with that intense fear and resignation to die, and in his mind imagined stroking the bond thing in the box, he tried to recall that deep inner peace stuff that he had felt last night and pushed it through to the bond. In his mind it felt like the bond being nuzzled closer to him and he could see Castiel suddenly sit up straight and look back at him in shock. Weirdly, instead of feeling Castiel calm down like he had last night now he just felt more undercurrents of worry and concern but this time it was directed at him. He frowned at Castiel as he climbed in. "What's going on?"

Castiel shook his head. "Don't do that. You're just going to make it stronger if you poke at it and Bobby won't be able to make it go away."

"What are you talking about?" John asked as he started the car.

"Nothing." Castiel muttered.

John looked back at Dean for an answer but Dean was focused on Castiel.

"You think you're going to die." Dean pointed out. "Why?"

"I don't _think_ I'm going to die." Castiel shot back. "Psychic. I know what's going to happen."

John frowned. "Cas-"

"I think we've already established that I am unwilling to hurt you. I'm even less unwilling risk hurting Dean. So what am I going to be able to do to stop you from doing this focusing spell?"

"I understand why you're angry, but believe me, once we do this we will be one step closer to ending all of this."

Castiel huffed and looked out the window.

Dean frowned. He mentally touched the bond being again where he felt spikes of irritation emanate from Castiel.

"Stop touching it." He snapped at Dean. "You're going to make this all a lot harder if you keep meddling with the bond."

Dean frowned. "Tell me what's going on."

Castiel sighed. "Your father wants to use me to find the demon that killed your mother. The spell itself can be very dangerous for the psychic involved. It's very much like shining a spotlight at the target, and the demon will be able to follow the trail back to us. To me. And he will follow it. He will kill me. And when that happens, it can cause a psychic shock to you if the bond is strong enough, it could kill you too. So leave the bond alone. Box it up like you have had it."

"Why am I here then?" Dean demanded.

"You're like a prism for me. You'll focus my energies." Castiel fiddled with the belt of his coat. "Don't worry. You'll be fine after this."

Dean wanted to reassure Castiel, to comfort him because the kid looked so small and scared, and to let the kid know that it wasn't himself he was worried about, but by the time he got the courage and figured out what to say they had arrived.


	11. Chapter 11

Castiel sat in the middle of the pentacle that John had drawn on the floor of the abandoned warehouse huddled in his coat. Dean hesitantly sat in front of him and took the boy's hands as his father instructed.

"Hey, Cas it'll be okay." He murmured as he felt the boy shaking in his grip.

Cas smiled banefully to him. "That's the second time you've ever even thought of me as 'Cas'. Now I know you're worried."

Dean looked down and just squeezed the kid's hands tighter. His father started muttering the incantation and lit the ingredients for the spell in a bowl on fire. Cas's eyes slid closed and Dean could feel the temperature in the room drop. He could feel something move through his mind. He knew it was Cas but it felt different this time, the presence was cold and kind of uncomfortable. And then it pushed through him and Dean felt like he'd just gone over the top of a rollercoaster and all he could do was ride it out.

It felt like Dean had been falling forever when Cas's eyes snapped open and the rollercoaster sensation suddenly stopped. Cas stiffened and his eyes rolled back. Dean wanted to do something, but he couldn't move or say a word as Cas arched and convulsed, his mouth open in a mute scream.

Cas managed to choke out a word "Azazel." As soon as he got the word out he slumped over and went still. Dean held his breath, hoping that this meant that the ritual was over. But he couldn't feel Cas in his mind. After a moment of nothing Dean mentally reached out.

What he found wasn't Cas. It was cold and dark, evil in a way that Dean had never experienced before. He reeled back and dropped Cas's hands scooting out of the pentacle. John scooped him up and looked him over in concern.

"What happened Dean?"

Before Dean could answer they heard a dark chuckle come from Cas. The boy sat up and grinned at the Winchesters. Dean gasped when he saw the boy's eyes. They were yellow.

"Well, this is fun. Long time no see boys."

John scrambled for his gun which just caused the possessed boy to laugh. "Don't bother. I'm not really here right now. I just picked up the telephone when you called." He sighed and picked at the trench coat. "I don't want you putting holes in the boy I've been looking for. Cute that he kept his daddy's coat." He grinned, looking off into the distance. "Caused me so much trouble, didn't you? My little angel."

"Let him go." John demanded.

The boy shrugged. "You did me a favor Winchester, showing me where little Cassie has gotten to. So sure. Have him back. For now. I'm on my way to collect."

Castiel collapsed like a marionette that had its strings cut. John rushed to the fallen boy and Dean mentally reached out. He felt Cas again, but muted.

"He's unconscious." John muttered as he scooped the kid up. "You okay Dean?"

Dean nodded, but couldn't look away from the boy in his father's arms.

"Dean. He'll be alright. We'll take him back to Bobby now, and he'll be fine. C'mon."

Just then police sirens cut through and Dean could hear a car skid to a stop outside of the warehouse, the blue and red of the police lights flashing through the dusty windows. The occupants of the car could be heard getting out.

"Bobby!" An unfamiliar woman's voice called out. "Hold up Bobby, you don't know they're in there."

"That's their car!" Bobby shouted outside, Dean felt a wave of relief wash over him. He knew Cas would be okay with Bobby. "You hang back Jodie. I got me an idjit son to murder. Don't need the sheriff witnessing that. Then I need to kill JOHN WINCHESTER! IF YOU'VE DONE ANYTHING TO MY BOY-"

With a sigh John adjusted Cas so he could hold him in one arm and opened the door of the warehouse. "Bobby. Looks like you saved me a trip."


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Exams and papers are coming up, then graduation. This might be the last update for a while, but I will try to keep chapters coming at least once a week. **

Bobby glared as he took Cas from John's arms. "You did the spell."

John nodded solemnly. Bobby started checking his boy's vitals, reassuring himself that the kid was not hurt. "Did you get what you wanted?"

"We found him. We can finally get him."

Bobby nodded. "Jody?" The woman, a cop Dean noted but not the sheriff, moved forward. Bobby handed Cas over to her. "He'll be alright in a bit he's just unconscious."

She nodded as she cradled the boy close and gently started to rock him. "You going to tell me what's going on Bobby?"

"In a bit Sheriff." Bobby said reassuringly. He then spun around and launched himself at John. John was bigger and in better shape but Bobby had the element of surprise on his side and a large dose of angry mama bear adrenaline coursing through his veins. He started whaling away on the other man while the woman shouted at him to stop.

"There is another child here Bobby. STOP!" She finally shouted, and this seemed to be the key. Bobby paused long enough for John to recover and push him off. Bobby grumbled but got off the ground and turned to Dean.

"You okay boy?"

Dean nodded mutely.

The woman glared. "What is going on Bobby. You call me in a panic in the middle of the night. Make me tear around town, you don't tell me what's going on. You owe me an explanation."

"You really need more of an explanation than this idiot took my son Jody?" Bobby demanded pointing at John.

"No." The woman's eyes softened and she held Cas closer. "But I need to know if this is involving one of your boogey monsters and if weird things are going to start happening any time in the near future."

John frowned as he dusted himself off. "You get the police involved in hunting Bobby?"

"I keep Officer Mills informed about goings on." Bobby snapped gruffly.

"The sheriff?"

Castiel started to stir so Bobby took him from Jody. "Will be one day. According to Cas. He wasn't to specific about when, so I figure I should get in the habit of addressing her properly early."

Jody eyed John suspiciously. "And you're just lucky I don't start beating the snot out of you too."

Bobby huffed a laugh. "To answer your question Jody, yes it's a boogey man. And it's a bad one."

"And he's on his way." Dean added. John was relieved, it was the first time Dean had said a word since they had started the spell and he had been concerned that it had done something to his boy.

Bobby closed his eyes and hugged his boy closer. "So expect weird things to start happening soon."

Castiel started thrashing and screaming, which surprised everyone. Bobby tried to keep a grip on him but the kid was struggling so hard he got out of Bobby's grasp and fell to the ground.

Dean was the first to get to Castiel, and the second he laid hands on his shoulder the thrashing stopped and Castiel went completely still, staring at Dean in horror.

Dean was just glad that Castiel's eyes were blue again. Inside Dean's head the bond was going crazy, thrashing against the box inside his mind the way Cas was. It only took a second for Dean to decide to break the box apart. Like last night he felt a deep inner peace that he instinctively pushed towards the bond and the other boy. He felt Cas calm down instantly.

"You shouldn't do that." Cas muttered. "We won't be able to break it."

Dean shrugged. He just couldn't let the other kid hurt himself, which he would have done if he'd kept freaking out. And the bond felt much more comfortable now that it was loose. He wasn't 100% he wanted to break it anymore. "It's not important right now. Are you okay?"

Bobby kneeled next to them and helped Cas sit up. "Easy kid. You okay to tell me what's going on or should we go home for now?" Castiel shook his head, grabbed fistfuls of Bobby's shirt and buried his face against Bobby's chest. Bobby sighed and scooped the kid up. "Alright. Let's go home."


	13. Chapter 13

**SORRY THAT IT HAS BEEN SO LONG! I've just graduated moved back home and things are very hectic. I think that from now on I can do once a week updates. Sorry this is a short chapter, but I wanted to give you guys something since it's been so long. Thank you to everyone still reading this!**

John gingerly touched the swelling on his cheek from where Bobby had hit him. He knew nothing was broken, but it was going to be uncomfortable for awhile, especially since he wasn't going to be able to get any ice on it for a while. Bobby sure as hell wasn't going to give him any.

Bobby was bustling around his kitchen, heating a pot of something on the stove, Castiel still wrapped around him like a sort of monkey.

The kid hadn't said anything since Bobby had picked him up. Dean wasn't saying anything either, just sat in a chair in the kitchen with his eyes never leaving Castiel. Both kids looked haunted, John hadn't seen Dean look this lost since Mary had died.

The policewoman, Jodie Mills, had gone back to the motel to pick up Sam. John wondered how exactly she was involved in all this. Clearly she and Bobby had a relationship based on some form of mutual respect, and she knew a bit about what really went bump in the night, but she didn't seem to have any interest in learning more the "boogie men" beyond that. Willing to help Bobby out with little to no information, but she didn't seem to be a pushover. But again, John watched Bobby slam down some mugs a little harder than necessary on the counter while keeping hold of Castiel, she probably wouldn't be a very welcome topic of conversation.

"Drink this Dean." Bobby muttered as he pushed a mug over to the kid.

Dean sniffed the drink. "Warm milk?" Dean looked skeptical.

Bobby snorted. "It's good for you. Strong bones and all that. Just drink it." He set Castiel down next to Dean and handed him a mug too. Castiel took it silently and began sipping obediently. Dean soon followed suit. Bobby turned to John. "So what exactly happened?"

"I don't get a mug of warm milk too?" John tried to joke, but at the cold look in Bobby's eyes he sobered immediately. "I did the spell. And it worked. We found that bastard that killed Mary. That killed Castiel's real family. We found him. We got a name, Azazel. And we got his attention. He's coming here. And we can be ready for him."

"Ready for what exactly John?" Bobby snapped. "I don't know if you've noticed, but we don't exactly have a whole lot that can stop a demon. Slow him down, sure. But what you seem to have done is gone and pissed off something that's more powerful than anything we've ever dealt with, set his sights on my son, and we've got fuck all to stop him."

"Not exactly."

Bobby frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Remember the stories about the Colt?"

"That gun you've been searching for?"

"I found it. This last hunt, the reason I went down with Pastor Jim was because he'd gotten a lead on the gun. And I have it now. This can kill a demon. Not just excise it, but kill it for good. This is it Bobby. End of the road."


	14. Chapter 14

Bobby still looked skeptical, but at that moment Jodie walked in with Sam clutching her hand.

"Here they are Sam. See? Everyone is okay." Jodie said softly to the little boy.

Sam nodded, quickly giving the once over to everyone in the room to see for himself that everyone was in one piece. He let go of Jodie's hand and quickly went over to Dean, sidestepping his dad who had started to lean out to offer him comfort. Dean scooted over to let Sam climb up onto the chair with him and offered the rest of his milk to his brother.

Bobby sighed. "Finish that yourself Dean. Sam would you like a mug?"

Sam nodded. "What's going on Dean?"

"Nothing Sammy. It'll be alright." Dean muttered. "Drink your milk."

Castiel was starting to wilt, left exhausted by the terror and stress that he had been through that night, slumping over in his chair. Bobby rescued the mug from where it was tipping precariously in Cas's hold. The movement startled the young boy back to awareness. "Bobby?"

"Yeah. I'm here kid." Bobby said gently.

"I'm sorry for drugging you."

Bobby nodded. "Yeah. We're going to have words about that once you stop looking like a good gust of wind'll take you out."

"I didn't want you to get shot." Castiel mumbled, loosing the battle again against sleep.

Bobby gently scooped him up so he wouldn't fall out of the chair. "Shouldn't be your decision to make kiddo."

Castiel's reply was muffled as he snuggled into the warmth and promptly fell asleep.

Dean almost envied Castiel at that moment. He didn't think he'll ever be able to sleep again, that cold empty evil that he'd felt when he had reached for Castiel's mind will haunt him forever. Sam leaned against him, offering support and silently seeking comfort. He glanced down and gave a half grin to his brother, he would stay strong for him.

Jodie cleared her throat. "So Bobby you promised to explain. What's going on?"

"A demon. A bad one. And he's headed this way. I don't know when, and I don't know how messy it is going to get but if it's any comfort I think most of the trouble will be focused here." Bobby held the sleeping boy closer. "He's after Castiel."

Jodie shook her head. "Anything I can do?"

Bobby smiled wanly at her. "Not really. Just remember to salt the doors and windows to your house. If you get any reports of strange deaths in town or in the general county passing them along would be great. It'd be nice if we know what this bastard looks like before he comes knocking."

"What are you going to do?" Jodie asked with concern. She was very fond of Castiel, and had a bit of a soft spot for Bobby as well, and the thought of something happening to either of them…

"We're going to kill it." John stated firmly.

"Yeah, about that." Bobby frowned. "Where is this Colt?"

John smirked. "I got it with me. Here." He reached into coat pocket and pulled it out. "It'll kill him for good Bobby."

"Yeah. You say that. But you just dumped a whole heap of trouble on me and my family. You just better be a damned good shot."

"Bobby-" Jodie wasn't sure what else she could do here, but part of her didn't want to leave."

"I'm sorry Sheriff. There ain't much else for you here. You should get home to your husband. And make sure the house is secure."

Jodie nodded reluctantly. "Alright. But you better damn well be sure to keep me updated Bobby."

"I know Sherriff." Bobby flashed a grin. "And thank you. For everything tonight."

Jodie straightened up mentally going through a checklist to make sure she had everything. "Yeah. Well, anything for Cas. He's the one who promised me that Sheriff position."

John watched her go. "She likes you."

"She's married." Bobby snapped. "And not up for discussion. Just salt the house. I'm going to get these kids to bed."


	15. Chapter 15

He was wandering in the woods behind the house. It was a beautiful day, the sun filtering through the trees, throwing interesting patterns on the ground from the leaves. There was a gentle cool breeze and he could hear the sounds of the stream he liked to read by. He kept hiking up the hill and found the happily burbling stream. He kicked off his shoes and stuck his feet into the cool clear liquid.

There was a crash behind him, but when he turned around there was nothing there. With a shrug he turned back to the stream. It was running red, thick like blood. Something under the water grabbed his ankle and started pulling. Thrashing and kicking out with his free foot he managed to pull himself loose and staggered back from the water.

It was suddenly chillingly cold, he could see his breath as he panted spinning around trying to figure out where he was. The woods were no longer familiar, dark and foreboding closing in around him. The sun was no longer shining, everything just seemed grey and dark except the blood red stream, which had grown to the size of a raging river.

"Oh my dear angel. I've been looking for you." A smooth voice whispers behind him.

He wheels around, coming face to face with his father. Only it wasn't, the front of his shirt and his teeth were stained with blood, and his eyes were yellow. He fell back away from the monster wearing his father's face, almost tumbling into the river as it advanced towards him.

It grinned, arms reaching out to grab him. "Come to Papa!"

xx

With a scream Castiel woke up. He glanced around, breathing heavily from terror left by the dream. He was in Bobby's room. He was in Bobby's bed. And there was Bobby, in an easy chair next to the bed.

"Steady Cas. It's okay." Bobby said reassuringly, leaning over and gathering the boy into a hug. "It was just a dream."

Castiel started sobbing. "He was in my head."

"The demon?" Castiel nodded. Bobby sighed grimly. "It was just a dream kid."

"No. No, he got in my head. I felt him in my mind and I- I couldn't get him out. I couldn't move, or talk, or even scream. I couldn't do anything."

Bobby frowned. "Wait, this was during the ritual? Why didn't you tell me? John just said you found him."

"I found him and he found me."

Bobby tightened his grip. "I am so sorry kid." There was a creak outside the door, Bobby looked up sharply. "Dean, I know you're out there. Stop lurking and come inside."

Dean shuffled into the room a little sheepishly. He'd heard Cas's nightmare but hadn't been brave enough to accidentally wake Bobby. "I just was getting some water and … heard a noise so-"

"Yeah kid, I know why you're here. Come on up here too." Bobby motioned for Dean to sit next to Cas.

Dean immediately scrambled up onto the bed and grabbed hold of Castiel's hand. The contact immediately soothed that bond light being thing in his mind, which had been going berserk. Castiel too almost immediately went slack, comforted by the touch. "You okay?"

Castiel nodded. "Are you?"

Dean felt suddenly very tired now that he was holding onto Cas. "Yeah." He said through a yawn.

"Alright the two of you idjits need to go back to sleep." Bobby muttered, gently pushing the two of them back against the pillows and pulling the covers over them, then settling back in his chair. "God knows what'll happen tomorrow."


End file.
